Three Kings and the truth behind the star

Fr. William Saunders

1/07/15

Q: Is there any scientific evidence for the star mentioned in
the Gospel, which guided
the Three Kings to adore Baby Jesus, or is it just a
literary image used to make a spiritual point? I have heard
both sides. - A reader in Franconia

A: The answer to this questions lies not only in the
scientific evidence, but also the spiritual significance of
that evidence.

Let's begin with the scientific evidence. Over the years,
several findings have been presented to identify the star.
Keep in mind that any dating is problematic due to variations
in calendars (Julian versus Hebrew versus Gregorian) and
record keeping. Nevertheless, some possibilities include the
following: First, about 10 B.C., Halley's Comet was visible
(although not known as "Halley" at the time); however, comets
usually indicated doom and disaster, so this does not seem to
be a good contender.

Second, Johannes Kepler (d. 1630), who wrote Laws of
Planetary Motion, proposed that the conjunction of the
planets Jupiter, Saturn and Mars caused a brilliant light
(about 7 B.C.). Kepler had observed such a phenomenon in
1604, and calculated that this would have occurred at about
the time of Christ's birth. He posited that a supernova
occurred simultaneously which would have caused an intense,
brilliant light that lasted for weeks.

Third, the Austrian astronomer Konradin Ferrari d'Occhieppo
in 2003 proposed that the star was the conjunction of Saturn
and Jupiter in the constellation Pisces in 7-6 B.C. He wrote,
"Jupiter, the star of the highest Babylonian deity (Marduke),
entered its brightest phase when it rose in the evening
alongside Saturn, the cosmic representation of the Jewish
people." Commenting on this finding, Ferrari d'Occhieppo
posited that astronomers in Babylon (an ancient center for
astronomy) would have interpreted this phenomenon as a
universally significant event, namely the birth of a king in
the land of the Jews who would bring salvation. I think the
constellation Pisces has a significance, since Pisces
represents "fish" and Our Lord said to the apostles, "Come,
follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Mt 4:19). His
work was cited by Pope Benedict XVI in his book Jesus of
Nazareth, Volume I.

Finally, astronomer Roger Sinnott using evidence from Bryant
Tuckeman's Planetary, Lunar, and Solar Positions, 601 B.C. to
A.D. 1 (American Philosophical Society, 1979), presented a
most interesting finding: In 3-2 B.C., three unusual
planetary alignments (a triple conjunction) of the planets
Jupiter and Venus with the star Regulus in the constellation
Leo occurred. Interestingly, the splendor of this event would
have climaxed Dec. 25, 2 B.C. Jupiter was named for Jupiter,
the king of the Roman gods; Venus, named for Venus, the Roman
goddess of love and motherhood; Regulus, a star that means
"little king" and symbolizes a scepter; and Leo, the lion,
the symbol for the tribe of Judah. One could suggest that
here was a symbolic revelation of the Father (the King)
sending His Son (the little King) into this world through
Mary (the mother) to the land of Judah (the lion), the people
of the covenant.

Remember, too, we read in Gen 49:9-10: "Judah, like a lion's
whelp, you have grown up on prey, my son. He crouches like
the lion recumbent, the king of beasts - who would dare rouse
him? The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace
from between his legs." Sinnott posited that the Magi would
easily have interpreted this event as a sign of the birth of
the Messiah. Astrophysicists also cite such an alignment
occurs about every 38,000 years. Perhaps this explanation is
the best.

Archaeologists also have found evidence of some unique star
being observed at the time of Our Lord's birth. Egyptian
records (5-2 B.C.) indicate that in the month Mesori, the
star Sirius, the dog star, rose at sunrise with extraordinary
brilliance. Mesori means "the birth of a prince," and the
Egyptian astrologers interpreted this event to mean "the
birth of a new king into this world." Chinese records show
that about 4 B.C., a brilliant star appeared in the sky for a
long time.

The Jewish prophecies also pointed to a star that would
announce the birth of the Messiah: "A star (anatole) shall
come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of
Israel" (Num 24:17). In the Canticle of Zechariah, we read,
"All this is the work of the kindness of our God; He, the
Dayspring (anatole or "rising star"), shall visit us in His
mercy to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow
of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Lk
1:78-79).

Whatever the "star" actually was, God used this phenomenon to
announce the birth of His Son, our divine Messiah and Savior.
Moreover, He used it to excite the Magi, the Gentiles, to
come searching. The Magi were probably from the area of
Babylon (present Iraq), where astrology was popular and the
observatory of Sippar existed; archaeologists have found
cuneiform tablets where the observatory existed that speak of
this star. Moreover, they probably knew the prophecy
concerning the Jewish Messiah; after all, the Prophet Daniel
was King Nebuchadnezzar's chief Magus. Of course, we
sometimes refer to them as "the Three Kings" because of their
precious gifts - gold for a king, frankincense for a priest
and myrrh (a burial ointment) for the victim who would die.
Sometimes we refer to them as the Wise Men, yet wise enough
to know they did not know everything. We also know them as
Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar, and recognize them as saints,
whose relics are kept at the cathedral in Cologne, Germany.

In sum, St. Gregory Nazianzen said, "The very moment when the
Magi, guided by the star, adored Christ the new King,
astrology came to an end, because the stars were now moving
in the orbit determined by Christ." As we continue our
Christmas celebration, may we, too, orient our lives -
spiritually, emotionally, economically, politically,
socially, in a word, totally - to Jesus. May we follow the
true Light that penetrates the darkness and allow His light
to shine forth in our own lives.

Questions may be sent to Fr. Saunders, pastor of Our Lady of
Hope Church in Potomac Falls, at
straightanswers@ourladyofhope.net or Our Lady of Hope Church,
46639 Algonkian Pkwy., Potomac Falls, VA 20165.